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1864 – Congregational Church, Barking, Essex

Architect: W.P. Poulton

“The memorial stone of a new Congregational Church, wag laid on the 6th of last month, at Barking. Of this building we give an illustration. The geometrical character of Gothic architecture has been adopted in the design. The materials of construction are Kentish rug-stone in courses, and Bath stone dressings. The plan of the building is 65 feet 9 inches long and 35 feet 4 inches wide in the clear, with apsidal termination to the back, and vestries. Entrance porches, with double sets of doors, are designed for each side of the principal front, that on the staircase side having coupled outer doors. The staircase, leading to the gallery across the front of the chapel, is formed in a semi-octagonal turret annexed to the entrance porch. A four-light traceried window, 25 feet in extreme height, will form the principal feature of the front elevation. The interior of the church is to be ceiled in somewhat of a Gothic outline, so as to obviate the objections so frequently raised, and not wholly without reason, to the ordinary open roofs of churches, as managed. Provision for ventilation is intended to be secured by openings (under control), in the ceiling; and external air will be admitted to the building in various parts of the chapel, in each case to be regulated by valves, &c. On one side of the apse, a vestry is planned for the use of the minister, 10 feet by 11 feet in size; and on the other side it is proposed to erect a vestry 18 feet by 18 feet, for committee meetings and the like. The accommodation will be for 613 persons; namely, 355 adult sittings on the ground-floor, and 158 children in the gallery. The children’s seats are to be sufficiently wide to allow of their use by adults when necessary. There will be the power of increasing the accommodation of the chapel at a future time, by the erection of side galleries. The architect is Mr. W.P. Poulton, of Reading, who has erected several chapels of similar character. Mr. Perry, of Hackney, is the contractor. The contract, including lighting and fencing, as well as the vestries, is 1,6042. The building occupies a prominent position, being immediately opposite the Townhall.” From The Builder, September 12 1863.

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